Telegram launched a new payment system for digital goods and services on the social media platform. The system, called ‘Telegram Stars’, allows people to pay for digital products such as e-books and online courses through in-app purchases on Apple and Android.
Telegram CEO Durov said Telegram Stars offers users “a way to pay for digital services in mini apps.” App developers can incorporate stars their bots have earned into TON, The Open Network’s native token, through the crypto exchange Fragment. They can also use stars to promote their apps on Telegram.
Telegram CEO: ‘Stars’ is Apple, Google compatible
Telegram uses web applications that run within the messaging platform, also known as ‘mini-apps’. Companies have been using these mini-apps to sell physical products on Telegram for years, Durov says. According to the platform, more than 400 million people interact with the apps every month.
Telegram’s founder said the service is now expanding to include payments for digital products in stars, an in-app virtual currency. In a post on Telegram, Durov said Stars complies with Apple and Google’s latest policies on the sale of digital goods.
“Apple and Google receive a 30% commission when users buy stars from them, but Telegram subsidizes ads purchased with Telegram Stars,” – Pavel Durov
Telegram is seeing a wave of new apps
Telegram has seen a surge in the number of apps being built on the platform. In January, the tap-to-earn game Notcoin launched on the platform and quickly reached 35 million users within five months. Hamster Kombat, another game based on the TON blockchain that allows players to earn points by using the mini-app on Telegram, has amassed more than 100 million users.
Durov said mini apps like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat are growing quickly because users don’t need to install them on their devices. He revealed plans to add more features and functionality to Telegram Stars in the future, including gifts for content creators. At the time of writing, TON’s price is up 4.7% on the day to $7.54, and has risen more than 350% since January.